Queer Eye came into our city, and our world never looked so bright. 🎶
The Fab Five behind the hit Netflix reality series visited Austin for their sixth season, arguably their most memorable yet. After being interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic in the middle of filming, the team spent part of 2020 and 2021 in Texas’ Capitol City. (Pro tip: Keep an eye on the Google building’s construction progress in the show’s b-roll shots, and you’ll have a pretty good idea of when they were filmed.)
We watched all 10 episodes so we could share every Austin gem we found with you — and boy, does our city look cool on screen. 🏙
A two-stepping, boot-stomping, Texas good time 🤠
With the exception of one particularly hilarious moment when the Fab Five speculated whether or not the Texas Longhorns was, in fact, the name of a football team (It’s okay, these two UT grads forgive you), it was clear the Queer Eye crew put in some work to learn about our city.
Bobby, Karamo, Tan, Antoni, and Jonathan learned the two-step at the Broken Spoke, harmonized “Deep in the Heart of Texas,” and repped a whole milieu of stylish cowboy boots + hats.
They also picked up a little piece of Austin during their stay — the team walked away with three shelter dogs from Austin facilities. Jonathan adopted Pablo from Austin Pets Alive! + his furry friend Elton from Safe In Austin Rescue Ranch. The group’s new team dog Neon also came from Austin Pets Alive!, and found a forever home with Antoni. (Catch a shot of Antoni walking Neon along Lady Bird Lake in episode eight). 🐶
Speaking of Neon (we see what y’all did there), there was a lot of it in this season. The luminescent art form is an Austin staple, and lights up the Fab Five’s ATX headquarters with a custom sign from Roadhouse Relics.
The total Austin references in the show would be too many to count. From quotes by Austinites such as Willie Nelson + Brené Brown to shots of local art and landmarks, the show wasn’t shy in showing off our city’s unique charm.
Austinites
The season starts off with a Texas-sized bang, featuring Terri White, the owner of the legendary Broken Spoke dance hall on South Lamar. This episode carries with it particular significance, as it was filmed before + after the pandemic and death of Terri’s father James White, an Austin icon who passed away this January.
Several other impressive Austinites are featured, including:
🏋️♀️ A powerlifting UT-Austin graduate and transgender rights advocate
📚 The students at Navarro Early College High School
🥘 The owner of Canyon Lake’s Plooky’s Cajun Boiling Pot
🍩 The baker behind East Austin’s OMG Squee
🎤 Local rapper Reggie DeVore, known as BlackLight
Causes
Karamo, Antoni, Tan, Jonathan, and Bobby clearly understood the giving spirit of the Austin community, and lent a hand to the leaders of several nonprofit leaders making a difference in the 512:
- The founder of animal rescue organization Safe In Austin
- The co-founder of The Other Ones Foundation, which provides aid and shelter to people experiencing homelessness
- The founder of the Central Texas Allied Health Institute, an organization that supports equity in health education
Local businesses
Tan had his fair share of strolls along South Congress this past year. The show snuck shots of our favorite fashion icon at local stores such as Estilo and Allens Boots. 👕
Jonathan, too, showed off their skills in Austin’s hair and styling community, working out of salons milk + honey, DAMN, GLAM!, Birds Barbershop and more.
Bobby checked out Austin’s best home goods at stores such as NEST Modern + Garden Seventeen and worked with Native Edge Landscape, while Karamo went on adventures at Central Texas Archery, Cypress Creek Farm, and Move Sport Ninja Academy. 🏹
And it wouldn’t be a show about Austin without highlighting some amazing restaurants. Antoni explored the kitchens at Salt Traders Coastal Cooking, Sour Duck Market, and Arlo Grey. (Pro tip: Keep an eye out in episode nine for an appearance by CK Chin, the local restaurateur behind Wu Chow + Swift’s Attic.)
Want more? We can’t share spoilers, you know that. You’ll have to watch the series yourself on Netflix, or check out our Instagram guide to every business that was featured on the show.